More than a century, adventure

"We all thought that the question of war and peace depends on us, and overlooked the stubborn determination of the Japanese to fight for their demands, which had vital importance for this country. "
a. N. Kuropatkin. The russo-Japanese war
an unnecessary war. It is considered that the russo-Japanese conflict, then transfered to heavy and not at all disgraceful for our country at war, Russia was not completely necessary.

However, the approval of this hardly fits with the reality. Any of us very rarely (and usually only in circumstances absolutely crisis) can accurately and with complete confidence to decide for their own purposes and inclinations. Foreign and domestic policy of a state is composed of hidden desires and aspirations of this mass of people, only time can establish the true background of the events. In fact (as it happens very often) the war led to the kindest intentions. In the second half of the xix century Russia was virtually defenseless in the far east. By the way, sakhalin was defended by three teams totaling about a thousand people; vladivostok was deprived of a serious military force, and in the amur region there were only 19 battalions of infantry. This huge region with the European part of the empire had only a ground path length of more than nine thousand miles! it was many months way and difficult way. And in 1875 the committee of ministers listens to the question of the construction of the siberian railway.

First it was supposed to pull to tyumen, but alexander iii commanded to build a highway across siberia. Originally (and quite logically) was supposed to guide her through Russian territory. However, in 1894, armed conflict breaks out, Japan and China, which a year later, ends with the defeat of the latter. China is in a difficult and delicate situation, and then among a certain circle of Russian politicians arises witty, both of them had a plan: to strengthen, seizing the moment, the position of Russia in the far east and at the same time greatly save on construction of the railway. The first violin in this venture was playing the wise and very influential minister of finance s.

Y. Witte. Using the fact that China is desperately in need of funds to pay the Japanese indemnity, the minister of finance through diplomatic circles agreed with the french on the ill-fated granting the chinese a hefty loan. Then created the russo-chinese bank, which actually ran the ministry of finance. And to top it all agreed that the part of the siberian road (1200 miles) will start China – Northern manchuria. Witte justified this decision by saying that, cut the track-laying directly, the treasury will retain 15 million rubles.

Moreover, the decisive argument! – the main financier of the country was assured of the king: the road will have global significance. Russia will be able to carry goods in transit to foreign powers and earn that huge funds. The future has shown how far-sighted was the finance minister. Meanwhile, the defeated China was very weak, and in 1897 to the chinese port of qingdao has entered a foreign military ships. The chain of the anchor the hawse holes with a roar went to the depths. On the ships fluttered rare in this region the standards of imperial Germany – yes, in a very tight knot massed here the interests of many powers.

And i must say that before in qingdao advantage of the anchorages used is the Russian ships. This situation was, to put it mildly, delicate. However, the yield found. China was once again divided: Russia ceded port arthur and qingdao remained with the kaiser wilhelm. Russia hastily concluded with the beijing lease the liaodong peninsula, which in the circumstances was absolutely necessary for the construction of the Southern railways – that is, all the way to port arthur. At first all went well, especially for the minister of finance: the east China railroad (vcjd) were built at an accelerated pace and actually ran it by none other than himself, mr. Witte.

To protect the road was created a special corps of security guards subordinate to him personally; the minister of finance have created a commercial fleet to serve the interests of the road, and in turn, in order to protect it – a small flotilla. Even systems small arms and artillery weapons used for the needs of guardians, the minister chose personally do not think it is necessary to coordinate this question with the war ministry. Gradually in the far east, manchuria, grew a small empire that nurtured and controlled exclusively by s. Yu. But there were problems: the road has not been as profitable as expected. To carry the goods by sea was more familiar and ultimately cheaper.

And the pot rolled for the most part a few travelers, but shaking under the wax the treasury post. More than just a road suitable for the transport of troops, but until that special needs were not. However, soon the situation had radically changed. Ugly things
influential retired state secretary bezobrazov has received a concession for felling forests along the Russian-Korean (and Korean-chinese) border. It was very profitable – are here in abundance there was very cheap labor whose resources were inexhaustible.

And for the transportation of forest just and handy built road. Bezobrazov, a person adventurous and very active warehouse and found complete understanding their problems, the minister of finance, and the money started flowing in. But as you know, not all cat carnival. Very out of place in China start riots. It came to that part of the road was destroyed, and the forces of the security guards is totally inadequate. In the result, the guards had simply locked the rebels in harbin.

But even then, the minister of finance opposed the introduction of Russian regular troops. Finally, in the autumn of 1900 to restore order in manchuria pulled one hundred thousandth army, and the military quickly put things in order. And then it became obvious the whole fallacy of the construction of the national trans-siberian railway part of the territory of a foreign state – a new excitement, and even ordinary arbitrariness of the chinese authorities to protect the road was only possible by armed force, and, moreover, significant. Which led gradually to the actual occupation of the Russian North and later in Southern manchuria. But it is very much strained Japan. The fact that the strengthening of Russian in South manchuria rightly perceived by the land of the rising sun as penetration into Korea, which Japan had always considered a zone of its vital interests. China also did not like the presence of foreign regular troops, and relations with beijing have steadily deteriorated. In april (march 26, old style), 1902, st.

Petersburg reluctantly was forced to sign a treaty on the withdrawal of troops in three phases over 18 months. However, there is no reason to believe that the Russian government deliberately went in advance to the deception. In any case, a. N. Kuropatkin, at that time minister of war, wrote that his department the decision was a great relief because i was allowed to "Go West" on military affairs. The withdrawal had begun but was suddenly stopped.

And this decision coincided with a trip bezobrazov to the far east. A retired state secretary and his entourage increasingly intensified the pressure on nicholas ii, urging the king to leave troops in manchjuria and Korea. That is quite understandable: for the adventurer bezobrazov, who developed frenzied activity with your concession remain without support troops – meant to lose pribylneyshim business. The finance minister in turn said that "After explanation from the secretary of state besobrasova it on the merits is not with him in disagreement". Therefore, the issue was resolved. The concession bezobrazov all the more strengthened in Korea, causing fury of the Japanese. The situation was complicated by the fact that among the employees of the concession were Russian soldiers and officers, and it was perceived in tokyo as a direct military invasion on the territory of the protectorate. But do not take the Japan of that time as an extremely peaceful country, which imposed the need to protect their interests. Inspired by the victory over China, Japan was preparing an even broader expansion on the mainland, and consistently moved in this direction. The pinnacle of Japanese diplomacy at that time was the signing in 1902 of the union treaty with england.

The second article of the document stipulated for the provision of military aid each side in case the other would be at war with two or more third countries. Now, Japan could not be afraid that Russia in the event of war will support France or Germany: the contract to her aid immediately had to come to england. Meanwhile, Russia continued to Japan the sluggish negotiations on contentious issues, particularly the Russian presence in Korea and China. Every day the situation is increasingly pushed to the war, but the world could still be saved. 26 november 1903, minister of war a. N. Kuropatkin gave the king a note that suggested, in order to avoid war, to return to China of port arthur, to sell the Southern branch vcjd, and in exchange get special rights in Northern manchuria. The meaning of the sentence was to remove the source of tension on the border with Korea.

But negotiations at the time was in charge of the vicar of nicholas ii, the adjutant general (also admiral) e. I. Alexeyev – the illegitimate son of emperor alexander ii. Arrogant and incompetent, he was the negotiator.

No concessions to the Japanese side, the governor did not recognize, honoring it for the damage to the prestige of the empire. But very soon Russia was to experience a far greater humiliation. Of the sea
the peculiarity of the situation consisted in the fact that both sides vi.

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